You'll be very happy with it! Mine's still awesome going on 4 years in 3 climates.

 

I replaced the dash on me '96 Dodge Ram awhile back when some diabolical alchemy turned the plastic to glass. I watched youtubers talk about special screwdrivers, contortionist moves, blind screw removal n installation, cats n dogs living together...AAARRRGGGHHH!!! After hours o' nuthin' but frustration n grammatically correct bad language, (my 8th grade english teacher was a grammar ****) I foinly said, ta hell with it, n removed the dash as an assembly. It pivots out on screw/hinges, n with a few disconnected plugs...I removed the entire dash as an ***'y. The HVAC duct work was easy to remove n reinstall n the dash top went on in roughly 1 hour n I did the entire job in around 4 hours, start to finish. I don't know if the 99 is a tough as the 96, but hey, there's always more than 1 way to skin a cat, or a dash in this case!

 

Been collecting parts for mine, the dash is a mess. Scored a complete lower dash unit for 20 bucks, unbroken, wrong color(That's what plastic paint is for) planning on ordering the LMC top part. add in new heater core and ac evaporator, it'll probably take me the whole weekend between the wife, kids and work related stuff. Been clearing my side work backlog, just a carb rebuild on a Yamaha, starter and distributor replacement on a 90"s chev dump truck, and replace the radiator in an S-10(just finished replacing the rear freeze plugs) Got a motor to pull out of a jeep, then haul the carcass to the knackers yard, but that's mine, so it can wait....

 

I will do the heater core while doing the dash. What about the AC? Anything?

 

Wouldn't hurt to replace the evap core as well......

 

If it hasn't given you trouble, don't go that far. Replacing the dash top is fairly easy, heater core is a little further, but evap core is a lot further. Pick your level!

 

Have heat but no control. Was doing the core only because others have said it is wise. I have no heat on controller switch until 1/2 open, then it seems to be all on. Plan to check that out while around the heater. AC works but it takes forever to cool, then not as cool as it once was. Truck only has 98,000 highway miles and I bought it new.

 

I think you'll find, if you crack open the HVAC case to do the heater core, the heater core and evaporator will be covered with all the dust and debris coming in through the cowl vent over the years. It really reduces the airflow and efficiency of the system. Take the time to really clean and vacuum everything and the system should perform much better.

 

It's the blend door interposer! Your heater core works if you get any heat at all. This is a temp blending issue and in 99 we got little electric motors on the bottom of the hvac box. You can only get to it from the passenger floor so do that job after or before you tackle the dash. There's an aftermarket upgrade sold by http://heatertreater.net/dodge-ram-95-02.

If the AC works fine, then don't remove the box. These trucks always take awhile to cool with the large cabs and no insulation. Probably just needs the charge checked. Mine has fluctuated before and it was because it had the wrong amount of freon (can't be less or more than calls for). Have a shop check your charge and shrader valves/seals/etc.

Have you really looked into this job? Dash? Core swaps? It's several layers deep. The simplest is just loosen dash, tilt forward, and replace the top. To get to the core it needs to come a lot further out and takes more time and really should have 4 hands. Then there's several layers to the heater core. You can cut it and splice in cab, cut it and replace with swivel core, or remove dash completely, remove pcm, have freon evacuated (at a shop prior), remove ac lines, remove hvac box, split box, and R&R everything like factory. If you're doing the last option, then yes, replace evap core. I have been to the first and second level and have no interest in going deeper. My Ac works, heater works, blend door works, etc.